


seven

by lilyshoneybee



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV), The Haunting of Hill House (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Kinda Fluffy, allusion to hill house, soft angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:14:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27436408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyshoneybee/pseuds/lilyshoneybee
Summary: “But you’re not scared of anything. You never get scared.”“Oh, I do. I just have a good way of helping myself to not be so scared.” Miles reached into his pocket and pulled out seven little stones, which he laid out in a semi-circle in front of Flora. “You tap each one of these, and count out loud. One to seven. You do it as much as you need to, sometimes that’s a lot.”Or, Miles teaches Flora a way to control her fears.
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 3
Kudos: 49





	seven

**Author's Note:**

> This was just a little something I wrote after realizing a small Hill House/Bly Manor parallel. It isn't entirely canon-compliant, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Leave a comment or let me know at @daniicrain on twitter what you think!

Everyone in Bly -- the town, that is -- had an opinion on the Manor. In such a small town rumours would spread like wildfire; stories of the Lady in the Lake, and of Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, Bly’s own answer to Bonnie and Clyde, if Clyde fucked Bonnie over. Yes, the Manor was famed for its ghost stories, stories that would eventually be proven to be true. But what many didn’t know, and would never know unless they took a visit to the Manor, or heard the gardener’s story years later, was the entire, brutal truth of the Manor. They would never know  _ how _ souls got so stuck within the Manor, they would never know that it was not only the dead that could be trapped. They would never know about the tucking away.

This was probably for the best, Jamie thought to herself, as she walked through the halls one night. It had been a long day. Flora had become, as she called it, tucked away in a memory again, and this one had shaken her up more so than the others. She’d told the adults at dinner that she was afraid to sleep that night. Jamie hadn’t paid much mind to it, she knew that if anyone was going to be able to calm her and send her into an easy sleep, it was Dani. Dani had that effect on people, that calming, homely effect that made you feel safe every time you were around her. She’d make a fantastic mother, Jamie thought.

Lost in her thoughts about the children and their au pair, Jamie hadn’t even realised she was approaching the children’s bedrooms until she almost collided head-first with Dani as the latter came out of Flora’s room. Both women started, before registering that it was merely each other, and laughing nervously.

“Sorry, Poppins, didn’t mean to startle ya.” Jamie smiled, a little more fondly than she intended, slipping her hands into her back pockets in an attempt to create an air of aloofness. Dani just smiled and shook her head, telling her that it was okay. Jamie bit her lip and cleared her throat. “She go down alright?”

“Well, she was still a little unsettled, but we talked about it a little and she seemed to calm down a lot?” Dani always sounded unsure of herself when she didn’t need to be. Jamie made a mental note to change that. “She’s not quite asleep yet, but I think she will be soon. I was going to wait out here for a while, just to make sure she doesn’t get scared or need me again.”

Yeah, that was Poppins all over. Putting everyone, especially the kids, before herself. Jamie admired her for it, and to an extent it was important for her job. But if Dani wasn’t careful, that would soon come to the detriment of her own health and sanity. Jamie couldn’t have that, now could she?

“You’ve been up since the sunrise, Dani.” Jamie reminded her, firmly. Dani had, again, brought her a coffee early that morning. It still wasn’t great by a long shot, but the sentiment was appreciated -- as was any chance to spend time with the au pair. “You go off to bed. I’ll stand watch for ya.”

“You’ve been up for longer than I have.” Dani pointed out. Jamie rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Yeah, and I’m used to it. Now scram,” she tilted her head in the general direction of Dani’s room, “before I have to make ya.” She finished with a wink and a smirk, one that Dani giggled nervously and looked down at the ground in response to. 

“Alright, fine, thank you.” She looked back up to Jamie, and the women held eye contact for maybe a second too long. Dani cleared her throat and broke eye contact first. “Goodnight, Jamie.”

“Night night, Poppins.” 

The women exchanged another small glance, before Dani broke away from it once more and ran an awkward hand through her hair as she headed down the hallway. Jamie watched her go, the fond smile back on her lips that she didn’t even attempt to hide this time. 

The vague sound of voices from the children’s room pulled Jamie from her thoughts on the au pair. With a soft frown, she stepped more towards the door, and opened it ever so slightly to peek through. Flora was sitting at the end of her bed, cross-legged, and Miles was kneeling down on the floor in front of her. 

“You’re scared of getting tucked away again, aren’t you?” Miles asked his sister. “That’s why you don’t want to sleep.”

“Yes, but it isn’t only that.” Flora answered, quietly, and clearly still scared. “I’m scared she’ll come for me.”

“You’re scared who will come for you?”

“The Lady in the Lake.”

Jamie’s heart broke for the girl in that moment. She was only a kid, and she’d already been through so much. It was no wonder she was so scared, even if she was projecting her fears onto a ghost that possibly did not even exist. 

“I see.” Miles nodded, and seemed to pause to think for a moment. “Tell you what. Why don’t I show you what I do whenever I get scared?”

“But you’re not scared of anything. You never get scared.”

“Oh, I do. I just have a good way of helping myself to not be so scared.” Miles reached into his pocket and pulled out seven little stones, which he laid out in a semi-circle in front of Flora. “You tap each one of these, and count out loud. One to seven. You do it as much as you need to, sometimes that’s a lot.”

“Why are there seven?” Flora inquired, and Jamie found herself wondering the same. It seemed an odd number, random even, and she wanted to know if there was any particular meaning behind it. 

“It’s seven because there’s seven of us.” Miles tapped on each stone as he named them. “Uncle Henry. Hannah. Owen. Jamie. Miss Clayton. Me. You. Seven.”

Jamie smiled warmly. Miles had had his moments lately, but in truth he did still have that heart of gold. This only proved it. “If you count all seven of us, it keeps you safe.” Miles further explained. “Try it.” 

And so, Flora did. Tapping each stone, counting up as she did. She did this a few times, and Jamie noticed how she seemed to relax and calm down more each time. Finally, she stopped, and let out a very relieved sigh.

“I feel much better now!” The little girl exclaimed, with that wide, very Flora smile of hers. “Thank you very much.”

“No problem. It’s my job, making sure you’re safe. First thing they teach us in Big Brother School.”

Jamie chuckled a little to herself. She’d have to tell Dani about this later, she thought. Owen and Hannah would appreciate the story, too. 

Miles told Flora to keep the stones with her for the night, and to keep counting them as she got afraid. That was when he left, heading back to his own room. Jamie lingered a few moments longer, until she saw Flora climb into bed, and then she stepped back and closed the door. She still waited for a little while, though. 

Just as she’d promised Dani.

***

It’s years later, and half the world away. Jamie is older now, and Dani is still on her mind a lot, though now it’s all memories. She never collides head-first into Dani anymore, and she never will again.

Jamie, of course, is not the only one to have grown older. Owen has, too, and Henry. Miles and Flora as well, though unlike the elder three, memories of Bly are not something they hold in their minds. This is probably for the best, Jamie thinks, as she walks through the halls of the wedding venue. Seven have become five now, and the loss of those two eats away at her, and at Owen, every day. It’s something she would not want to wish on anyone. 

Lost in her thoughts, as she still often is, Jamie doesn’t realise she’s heading for an occupied room until she opens up the door to find a grown-up Flora, all ready in her wedding dress, and pacing the floor. Jamie jumps a little, and Flora does too, once she notices Jamie’s presence. 

“Oh, good Lord.” Flora laughs, and puts a hand over her chest. “I am so sorry, I didn’t see you there!”

“Oh, no, it’s my fault.” Jamie insists, apologetically. “I should have knocked, I didn’t know this room was occupied, I’m sorry.” She tips her head to one side. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, I’m perfectly splendid.” Flora assures her, and Jamie thinks about how she absolutely must tell Owen that Flora has just said that. “Just pre-wedding jitters, so I was -- gosh, you’ll think I’m absolutely crazy if I tell you.”

“Try me.” Jamie offers, walking more into the room to sit down on a chair as Flora gestures to it as a form of invitation. “I don’t think there’s such thing as crazy, personally.”

“Oh no, it’s stupid.” Flora chuckles nervously. “Ever since I was a little girl, whenever I get scared or nervous, it’s always helped me to count up to seven. Sometimes I need to be doing something while I’m counting. When I was a kid I needed seven things to count up, like seven stones or seven pens or whatever. Nowadays I don’t really tend to carry such things with me, so whenever I’m counting I pace in time with it.”

Jamie doesn’t say anything at first. She just sits, taking in what Flora said, smiling softly. Flora really does remember the good things, it seems. Even if she doesn’t remember the significance of the seven, it still has meaning to her. Their little family is somewhere at the back of Flora’s mind. That’s enough, Jamie thinks.

Flora notices Jamie’s silence, and takes it the wrong way. “I told you it was crazy.”

Jamie shakes herself from her thoughts.

“Oh. Oh no, not at all. I was actually just thinking about how lovely it is. Something you’ve carried with you since childhood that still helps you today. It’s nice.” She fiddles with the ring on her finger, still smiling softly. “We all have our own methods of coping, no matter how crazy they may seem to others.”

Flora relaxes instantly. 

“You’re right.” She seems to notice Jamie fiddling with the ring on her finger, and she looks back to her with a sympathetic smile. “We’re making a habit of this, aren’t we? Me opening up to you, you offering me sage advice. Not that I’m complaining or anything. It’s just -- it’s funny, how easy I find it to talk to you.”

_ Not so much _ , Jame thinks to herself. But she doesn’t say that, no. She just smiles.

“Well, I’m glad you feel like you can trust me.” She tells Flora, and that’s the truth, even if it is only half of it. She stands from the chair and turns as if to head for the door. “I should probably leave you to it, let you finish getting ready.”

“Wait.” Flora says quickly, stopping Jame in her tracks. The older woman turns back around to face the girl again. “Would you -- would you mind staying? I could use some help with my makeup, my hands are shaking.” 

Jamie feels her heart swell. She blinks back the sudden tears in her eyes, and nods. 

“Of course.” 

She walks back over and sits down at the dresser with Flora. As she reaches for the makeup bag, she could swear she catches a glimpse of Dani and Hannah in the mirror. They’re gone when she looks again, but she doesn’t for one second think that means she didn’t see them. If Bly taught her anything, it was that anything like that was possible.

Perhaps, in truth, all seven of them are together again. Even if they don’t all know it.


End file.
